Proactive verbal behavior in team meetings: effects of supportive and critical responses on satisfaction and performance

Abstract

Proactivity has rarely been considered as a subject of investigation in social settings, such as team meetings. In this study, we investigate proactive behavior during meetings and examine how reactions to proactive behavior impact work-related outcomes. Drawing on meeting science and the wise proactivity framework, we hypothesized that supportive and critical patterns would emerge in response to proactive behavior. We also tested whether these patterns influenced team meeting satisfaction and team performance. We video recorded team meetings involving 252 participants in 43 teams and conducted micro-interaction coding of verbal behavior. Lag sequential analyses revealed that proactive verbal behavior followed by supportive responses occurred above chance. Team-level regression analyses showed that these patterns predicted meeting satisfaction and team performance. Notably, proactive-support patterns indirectly predicted team performance through increased meeting satisfaction. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of proactive verbal behavior in teams and supportive reactions as antecedents to positive outcomes.